Cwmbach
Encyclopedia
Cwmbach is a village and community near Aberdare
, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales
, United Kingdom
. Cwmbach has a population of 4,283. Cwmbach means 'Little Valley' in Welsh
(Cwm = valley
, Bach = little)
Cwmbach like most of the Cynon Valley was a quiet isolated area before the coming of industry. Its rural calm was first disturbed by the building of the Aberdare canal which opened in May 1812, with traffic passing through the area now known as Cwmbach in order to reach the canal head further to the north or join with the Glamorganshire canal to the south. Originally opened for trade with the iron industry of the Aberdare region, the canal found itself ideally situated when in 1837 the first export steam coal pit was sunk in Cwmbach.
The Cwmbach Male Choir
was formed in 1921 and were the first choir to sing at Cardiff Arms Park
prior to an international rugby
match. Local history being that they were formed at a local cricket match held in June 1921. A number of the crowd watching the game became uninterested in the play and began to sing hymns and part songs. This led to the suggestion that a Male Voice Choir be formed. From this a meeting was held at the Cwmbach Hall and Institute and the Cwmbach Male Voice Choir became a reality. The choir has shared a concert platform with some world famous artists, including Paul Robeson
, Sir Geraint Evans
, Stuart Burrows
, Dame Gwyneth Jones, Constance Shacklock, Patricia Kern
and the internationally renowned guitarist John Williams
.
In Cwmbach, the first Cooperative
Society
shop in Wales
was established in 1860 in Bridge Road. The building was demolished in 1977.
The poet Harri Webb
lived in Cwmbach for a number of years (until the mid 1990s).
The rugby union player Dafydd Lockyer
hails from Cwmbach, and currently plays for Pontypridd RFC
.
Aberdare
Aberdare is an industrial town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Dare and Cynon. The population at the census was 31,705...
, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Cwmbach has a population of 4,283. Cwmbach means 'Little Valley' in Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
(Cwm = valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
, Bach = little)
Cwmbach like most of the Cynon Valley was a quiet isolated area before the coming of industry. Its rural calm was first disturbed by the building of the Aberdare canal which opened in May 1812, with traffic passing through the area now known as Cwmbach in order to reach the canal head further to the north or join with the Glamorganshire canal to the south. Originally opened for trade with the iron industry of the Aberdare region, the canal found itself ideally situated when in 1837 the first export steam coal pit was sunk in Cwmbach.
The Cwmbach Male Choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
was formed in 1921 and were the first choir to sing at Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
prior to an international rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
match. Local history being that they were formed at a local cricket match held in June 1921. A number of the crowd watching the game became uninterested in the play and began to sing hymns and part songs. This led to the suggestion that a Male Voice Choir be formed. From this a meeting was held at the Cwmbach Hall and Institute and the Cwmbach Male Voice Choir became a reality. The choir has shared a concert platform with some world famous artists, including Paul Robeson
Paul Robeson
Paul Leroy Robeson was an American concert singer , recording artist, actor, athlete, scholar who was an advocate for the Civil Rights Movement in the first half of the twentieth century...
, Sir Geraint Evans
Geraint Evans
Sir Geraint Llewellyn Evans was a Welsh baritone or bass-baritone noted for operatic roles including Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, and the title roles in Falstaff and Wozzeck...
, Stuart Burrows
Stuart Burrows
Stuart Burrows - OBE is a Welsh operatic tenor.-Biography:The Cilfynydd-born singer scaled the peaks of musical distinction during his lengthy career which saw him give up teaching to pursue a new life on the opera stage...
, Dame Gwyneth Jones, Constance Shacklock, Patricia Kern
Patricia Kern
Patricia Kern is a British mezzo-soprano and voice teacher. She was born in Swansea, Wales.From 1949 to 1952 she studied with Gwynn Parry Jones at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London. She began her career with Opera for All...
and the internationally renowned guitarist John Williams
John Williams (guitarist)
John Christopher Williams is an Australian classical guitarist, and a long-term resident of the United Kingdom. In 1973, he shared a Grammy Award win in the 'Best Chamber Music Performance' category with Julian Bream for Julian and John .-Biography:John Williams was born on 24 April 1941 in...
.
In Cwmbach, the first Cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
Society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
shop in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
was established in 1860 in Bridge Road. The building was demolished in 1977.
The poet Harri Webb
Harri Webb
Harri Webb was an Anglo-Welsh poet, journalist and Welsh nationalist.Harri Webb was born on 7 September 1920 at 45 Ty Coch Road on the outskirts of Swansea, but before he was two the family moved to Catherine Street, much nearer the city centre...
lived in Cwmbach for a number of years (until the mid 1990s).
The rugby union player Dafydd Lockyer
Dafydd Lockyer
Dafydd Lockyer, born 5 June 1985 in Cwmbach, Wales, is a rugby union player for Pontypridd RFC in the Principality Premiership.Lockyer first joined up with Ponty from his local Abercwmboi RFC club as a raw youngster, with the Pontypridd Academy in 2001 and then with the senior squad in...
hails from Cwmbach, and currently plays for Pontypridd RFC
Pontypridd RFC
Pontypridd Rugby Football Club, known as Ponty, are a rugby union team from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, currently playing in the British and Irish Cup, Principality Premiership, and are the current SWALEC Cup champions....
.